The
Amateur International at Portmarnock Golf Club near Dublin, May 17-19 1949
England
Just Beat Ireland
Three
Vital Singles Matches
The Grand International Jamboree between England,
Scotland, Ireland and Wales was once again a most successful and very exciting
meeting. England was represented by one of the strongest teams for many years
and they just won after a thrilling duel with Ireland on their own and beloved
Portmarnock.
Wales will remember 1949 as the year when they
defeated Scotland for the first time. The Wooden Spoon which the Scotsmen took
home is likely to be used one day to mark the turning of the tide and the end or
very nearly the end of a dismal period in Scottish golf. It was perhaps
fortunate that the two strongest teams, England and Ireland, were drawn to play
on the final day after both had defeated Scotland and Wales. Judged by any
standard the golf by both sides was very fine, and the English victory was a
triumph for the English selectors who for the third year in succession chose a
team good enough to win the International Championship.
Fully aware of the importance of the Foursomes in
the morning, both sides went at it hammer and tongs and at lunchtime each had
scored two and a half points. The top match between White and Stowe of England
and Bruen and McCready finished all square. It was thrilling stuff and Stowe
from some 20 feet holed out off the Irish ball on the last green to win the hole
and halve the match.
In the second Ewing and Carr of Ireland won in
brilliant fashion, playing splendid golf against Crawley and Jones but, of
course, they could only win one point. Had either of these very powerful and
highly skilful players been playing with another partner they might well have
won two points between them. A superb finish by Micklem and Perowne of England
against Burke and Scannell in the third match balanced the score card once more.
Then, in the fourth, in a match in which the standard of play could scarcely
have been higher, Lucas and Thom of England beat O'Sullivan and Power on the
17th green. At the time English hopes of a lead ran high, but Carroll and
McInally, the Irish tail, wagged viciously to defeat Rawlinson and Bennett by
three and two, and so the sides went into luncheon all square.
In the Singles, the Irish side was led by Ewing,
Bruen and Carr, and in any year and on any course they make a tremendous
spearhead. Charles Hezlet the Irish captain, might well have expected them to
win two points for certain and possibly three. That they won none at all and
lost all three matches was due to the magnificent golf played by White, Micklem
and Crawley who opposed them. Just behind, Stowe and Burke each holed the course
in 69 and halved a desperate match. Thom lost to Carroll and Jones to McCready
on the last green. But Lucas, ever dependable in a tight corner, beat Scannell
by two and one. Both Perowne and Bennett lost their matches, but Rawlin a new
English recruit and a golfer of real promise, won the decisive match, beating
McInally by four and three. It was a great day for England, but Ireland's turn
to win the Championship is not far away.